It is native to the Sonoran Desert of southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in moist desert canyons, scrub, and woodland habitat.

This is a thickly branching shrub which reaches nearly two meters in maximum height and is generally rounded in form.

The inflorescence is a narrow, woolly spike up to 6 centimeters long, with small, widely spaced white flowers.

It is a valuable nectar source for native solitary bees.

It is also larval and adult food plant for the rustic sphinx moth (Manduca rustica).